Look what is coming to live with us!

Ok, ok, so it's not actually THIS stander, but it's one like it!  I have spent countless hours on the phone this past week calling every lending closet I could find or that was recommended to me, only to find out that not only did no one have a mobile stander, but most people did not even know what one was.  I called the spina bifida association and any other place I could think of that might be able to help.   I called CRS (children's rehabilitative services) to beg them to get one for Madi, but found out that they do not pay for standers at all.  I guess it was a blessing in disguise that Madi was not on APIPA (state insurance) when we got her stander, because it would have been denied.  Since Madi's secondary insurance is APIPA we have to go through CRS for anything Madi needs.  The problem, then, is that even though APIPA will pay for durable medical equipment that your child is written a prescription for, they make you go through CRS to get it.  And, since CRS doesn't provide standers, it doesn't matter that APIPA will provide durable medical equipment, because you cannot get the equipment from anywhere but CRS.  We do have a primary insurance, but can't get the prescription until Madi's orthopedic surgeon is back from out of town after the first of the year.  That means we have to pay a deductible of $2,500 IF they will cover it, so basically it would end up the same as just buying a new one without going through insurance.  Ugh. New Rifton Dynamic Standers are a tad over $2,000 (a small is $1,458 and the wheels for the small are $774), which just wasn't going to happen.  I posted an add on craigslist, but got no replies.  I searched the local craigslist, as well as national sites where people sell used equipment.  I joined a few yahoo groups to try to locate one.  I kept coming up with either nothing, or something that was still too much money.  Finally I got the idea to google "craigslist and small rifton dynamic stander".  This brought me to an ad in Florida for exactly what we needed... a small Rifton Dynamic stander for $500.   Madi had enough money in the account where we keep her Amazon Associates money, as well as birthday money she gets and any money that was ever given to us for her, so we went ahead and bought it.  I talked to Ron at Hanger and Tami her physical therapist about it first and both said it was a really good deal, that it would be something very beneficial to Madi, and that it would last many years for her because it is very adjustable.  Both highly recommended that we get it for her.  I am praying it is in the condition it was advertised in and that it arrives safely.  Sending someone that much money and having little recourse is a bit nerve racking!  I have a UPS tracking number (the lady we bought it from is awesome and had UPS e-mail us when she brought it in so we would know they had it.  She also forwarded all the info about the shipment to us) and am stalking it, but it looks like it won't be in until late next week. Long story short.... MADI HAS A MOBILE STANDER!!!  YEAH!!!  I know she will love it!  I will update with pictures as soon as we have it!